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Synopsis
The First Time I Got Paid For It is an unprecedented collection of essays by over 50 leading film and television writers, edited by Laura Shapiro and Peter Lefcourt for the Writers Guild Foundation, with an introduction by screenwriting legend William Goldman. Linked by the theme of a writer's "first time"--usually the first time they got paid for their work, but sometimes veering off into other, more unconventional, "first times," these essays examine what it takes to succeed, what it takes to write well, and other aspects of maintaining creativity and integrity while striving for a career in Hollywood. Richard LaGravanese (The Fisher King, The Horse Whisperer, Living Out Loud) confesses that his first paying writing job was crafting phone sex scripts. Nicholas Kazan (Reversal of Fortune, Mathilda) explains why, in Hollywood, a verbal "yes" often turns out to be a written "no." Peter Casey writes about the unparalleled pitch meeting for the award-winning NBC series Frasier. Virtually every big name writer in Hollywood has contributed to this collection; it is essential research material for anyone trying to make it in the entertainment industry, and a perfect read for movie buffs everywhere.
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About the Author
Peter Lefcourt is a screenwriter and the author of numerous novels including The Woody and The Dreyfus Affair. Screenwriting legend William Goldman is also the author of the megabestselling book Adventures in the Screen Trade.
From the Inside Flap
"provides a remarkable cross-section of the industry . . . it just may soften the hearts of a producer or two when the two sides meet across the bargaining table." --Variety, September, 25-October 1, 2000
Reviews
This delectable collection of entertaining essays by more than 50 TV and screenwriters is a treat not only for neophytes hoping to break into the business, but also for film buffs. While most of the contributors write about their first paying job in the profession, many of the tastiest tales venture off to detail other "firsts": Chuck Lorre (Roseanne; Cybill) hilariously recalls the first time he was fired (from a Beany & Cecil revival show); Melville Shavelson recollects the first time he was sued (by former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower to stop the filming of a movie about the Ike-Kay Summersby affair); and 12-time Emmy winner Carl Reiner remembers getting $1,000 to write his first novel, Enter Laughing. Many of the short pieces create suspense by withholding the name of a long-delayed or much-rewritten project until the very end. One of the best stories illustrating Hollywood's fickle nature is Australian Jan Sardi's piece on being at the center of a fierce bidding war over Shine; it concludes with the sobering fact that, over 12 years, he's had six movies produced in Australia but none in America. Each reminiscence is only a few pages long (Michael Tolkin's biography at the end of his recollection is almost as long as his story), which keeps the pace quick and the writing lively. The sassy title, eye-catching faux noir cover art and the impressive list of contributors (Steven Bochco, Eric Bogosian, Cameron Crowe, Delia Ephron, Larry Gelbart, Lawrence Kasdan and Joan Tewkesbury are just a few listed on the back cover) make this a compelling item for film buffs.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Showbiz mavens ought to like the inside poop this gathering of script scribblers' testimonies serves up. Cop show master Steven Bochco remembers his first writing job, which involved stretching "unsold one-hour pilots and anthological [sic ] dramas into two-hour movies" for a "cigar-chomping veteran producer" who pronounced his given name "Stiff." Youth culture chronicler supreme Cameron Crowe registers his memories of discovering that his first movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, was a hit in the sticks, though it had tanked at an L.A. preview. M*A*S*H TV veterans Larry Gelbart and Alan Alda expound, though only Alda talks about the long-lasting hit series: he cites Schnitzler's La Ronde as the inspiration for the episode he wrote about a pair of long johns being passed around during the frigid Korean winter. Other contributors include Eric Bogosian, Gary David Goldberg, and Carl Reiner. Great vocational reading for scripting wanna-bes. Mike Tribby
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The First Time I Got Paid For It : Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
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PublicAffairs (edition First Edition), 2000
ISBN 10: 1586480138
ISBN 13: 9781586480134
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First Time I Got Paid for Doing This
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Hardback. Condition: Good. The First Time I Got Paid For It is an unprecedented collection of essays by over 50 leading film and television writers, edited by Laura Shapiro and Peter Lefcourt for the Writers Guild Foundation, with an introduction by screenwriting legend William Goldman. Linked by the theme of a writer's "first time"--usually the first time they got paid for their work, but sometimes veering off into other, more unconventional, "first times," these essays examine what it takes to succeed, what it takes to write well, and other aspects of maintaining creativity and integrity while striving for a career in Hollywood. Richard LaGravanese ( The Fisher King, The Horse Whisperer, Living Out Loud ) confesses that his first paying writing job was crafting phone sex scripts. Nicholas Kazan ( Reversal of Fortune, Mathilda ) explains why, in Hollywood, a verbal "yes" often turns out to be a written "no." Peter Casey writes about the unparalleled pitch meeting for the award-winning NBC series Frasier. Virtually every big name writer in Hollywood has contributed to this collection; it is essential research material for anyone trying to make it in the entertainment industry, and a perfect read for movie buffs everywhere. The First Time I Got Paid For It is an unprecedented collection, edited by Peter Lefcourt and Laura J. Shapiro for the Writers Guild Foundation, of essays by Americas best screenwriters. Linked by a theme of the writers first timeusually the first time they got paid for their work, but sometimes something a bit more unconventional, each essay investigates what it takes to succeed in Hollywood and what it takes to write well. Richard La Gravanese ( The Fisher King, The Horse Whisperer, Living Out Loud ) confesses that his first paying writing job was crafting phone sex scripts. Nicholas Kazan ( Reversal of Fortune, Matilda ) explains why, in Hollywood, a verbal yes often turns out to be a written no. Peter Casey writes about the unparalled pitch meeting for the award winning NBC series Frasier. Amy Holden Jones ( Mystic Pizza, Indecent Proposal ) discusses her first sale: Slumber Party Massacre . Cameron Crowe ( Jerry McGuire, Say Anything, Singles ) tells of his astonishment when his screenplay for Fast Times at Ridgemont High makes people laugh. Steven Bochco ( NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues ) writes about his first job: (unknowingly) rewriting the legendary Rod Serling of Twilight Zone fame. Daniel Petrie , Jr. ( Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy ) explains why being fired from his job as an agent was the first step toward becoming a real writer, and Alan Alda discusses the challenges of writing for M*A*S*H, and why dancing around a hotel room is a sure sign of a script coming together.Over fifty writers, virtually every big name in Hollywood, have contributed to this collection, which is essential reading for anyone who wants to make it as a writer in Tinsel Town. Each essay reveals what life as a writer in the real Hollywood is actually like. Full of wisdom and incredible stories about surviving in the movie business, The First Time I Got Paid For It is crucial for anyone whos dreamed of hearing their words spoken on the silver screen. With a foreword by screenwriting legend William Goldman, it is also a perfect read for anyone who is a movie bluff or curious about what happens on the other side of the camera. Seller Inventory # CIN1586480138G
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The First Time I Got Paid For It : Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
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The First Time I Got Paid For It : Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
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The First Time I Got Paid For It : Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
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First Time I Got Paid for Doing This : And Other Tales from the Hollywood Trenches
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First Time I Got Paid for Doing This : And Other Tales from the Hollywood Trenches
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The First Time I Got Paid For It : Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
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The First Time I Got Paid For It : Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
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The First Time I Got Paid For It : Writers' Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
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hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_453483959